2015 Hall of Fame

Quinn Werner

Presented by Alan Gibson, Tim Parks

We would like to offer this biography on Quinn Werner for the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth Hall of Fame.

Quinn is one of the hardest working and most humble giant pumpkin growers of all time. He does not like to promote himself or give specifics of his accomplishments as he feels that is bragging something he is not comfortable with. We would like to thank the Hall of Fame voters for allowing us to give the details of his pumpkin biography for your consideration.

With his wife Marlene, Quinn resides in Saegertown, Pennsylvania. They have four grown children and enjoy taking their grandchildren on their annual trip to Walt Disney World.

Quinn has been one of the leaders of the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers since joining in 2001 with our club winning the GPC?s Top 10 Average award seven of the past nine years. Quinn has been the OVGPG champion six times and usually in the top three bolstering our club?s Top 10 Average. In 2010 his personal Top 10 Average was higher than any weigh-off site in the world.

Even with stony soil and cool temperatures, Quinn has grown many world class pumpkins. He is one of the most competitive and consistent pumpkin growers ever. In 2002 he had his first pumpkin over 1K and won OVGPG. Since then, Quinn has grown 90 pumpkins over 1K and has won 27 GPC sanctioned weigh-offs. Again, let us repeat this, he has won 27 GPC sanctioned weigh-offs! The first year he tried Connecticut Field Pumpkins he set the world record at 209 lbs.

The Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers offer beginners and advanced seminars at no charge and Quinn is always involved as a speaker or on panel discussions. Quinn?s donates 50 to 100 seeds from every pumpkin he grows every year to our seed sale, giving back many times what he has gained. His consistent involvement and dedication is one of the reasons our club has been able to pay out generous prize money. Whatever the club needs he is always there to help or contribute.

On a larger scale, in 2003 Quinn first attended the GPC Seminars in Niagara and has made all but two seminars since then, serving on numerous panel discussions over the years. He has also been on panel discussions on the many Pumpkin Cruises he has attended. Quinn?s passion for growing giant pumpkins and assisting others to grow their giant pumpkins can be strongly demonstrated by the fact that he has a severe discomfort of public speaking, but yet does so whenever called upon. In addition, he has donated hundreds of seeds to pumpkin clubs world-wide raising thousands of dollars for their projects.

Quinn has placed in the top three at 51 of the 58 weigh-offs (88%) since 2001. He has placed first at 12 different GPC weigh-off sites (27 grand champions). Quinn?s commitment to growing giant pumpkins goes so far as to him engaging in an off season weight loss and walking program to be in better shape come pumpkin growing season. He has researched new strategies so he no longer loses pumpkins to foaming stumps. Quinn plants mostly unproven seeds hoping to hit a ?home run?. Quinn was the first grower to prove out the 998 Pukos, the 1385 Jutras and the 1161 Rodonis seeds.

We have been honored to have Quinn Werner serving as a director of the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers continuously since 2004. He is an integral part of our team. Quinn may have never grown a world record giant pumpkin but he will go down as one of the all-time great growers and gentlemen of our great hobby.

It would be an honor to have him in the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth Hall of Fame. We believe Howard, Hugh and Bill would agree.

QUINN WERNER

Biography Bullet Points

History of Growing & Awards:

Grown 90 pumpkins over 1,000 pounds

Personal top 10 average is 1,639.8 pounds this would finish 4th for all sites in 2014.

#1 ranked grower in the world for 9 consecutive years 2006 through 2014 using the old AGGC 5 year average for biggest pumpkin in each year.

Grower of the Year for the GPC in 2008

In 2010 his top ten pumpkins for that year would have beat any site in the world for top ten average.

Eight consecutive years with a 3-pumpkin average in excess of 4,000 pounds

Five consecutive years over 4,500 pounds.

Has participated at 17 GPC weigh-off sites in 6 different states.

In the last 13 consecutive years have competed in 58 GPC weigh-offs

Placed in the top 3 at 51 of 58 GPC weigh-offs (87.9%)

Won first place at 27 of 58 GPC weigh-offs (46%)

Placed first at 12 different GPC weigh-off sites

Won Canfield Ohio GPC weigh-off 6 times arguably the toughest place to win in the GPC with site setting the best top ten average in world 7 times.

Set world record in 2012 of 209 pounds for a Connecticut Field Pumpkin breaking the old record by 47 pounds (29% increase) ? First year to grow

Innovated how seeds are selected by focusing on size of male pumpkin then proving seeds that in turn grew world records, 998 Pukos, 1,161 Rodonis.

Service and Publications:

Been a member of the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers (OVGPG) since 2001.

OVGPG Board Member for 8 years ? duties included obtaining seeds for auction, judging at weigh-offs, setting club policies, prize structure...

Spear headed research on foaming stumps while innovating procedure to help save the stump of the plant avoiding needing to cut it off to save plant.

QUINN WERNER ? Detailed innovations generally accepted by all growers in the hobby.

Genetics Work & Philosophy:

- 2006 planted the 998 Pukos which resulted in 1446.5 ? Then in 2007 the 998 Pukos

was grown by Joe Jutras, which resulted in a world record

- 2008 planted the 1385 Jutras which resulted in 1483.5 ? Then in 2009 the 1385 Jutras

was grown by Christy Harp, which resulted in a world record

- 2008 planted the 1161 Rodonis which resulted in 1521.5 ? Then in 2010 the 1161

Rodonis was grown by Chris Stevens, which resulted in a world record.

The 1161 Rodonis was then propelled to the #1 seed in the world

Foaming Stump Research:

- In the past, the common practice was to immediately cut off the stump and lose a big

portion of their daily weight gain. Quinn always felt that was a mistake, in most cases.

He designed a method to open the stump up at the first sign of a wet spot at the base

of the stump which happens prior to the actual foaming and treat the stump with

Zerotol or a similar product. The consequences of using this method are zero to

minimal loss in the daily weight gain and is now the widely accepted practice.

Quinn has proven that he is the most consistent world class giant pumpkin grower in the world setting marks in consistency that may never be broken. His dedication to the GPC, OVGPG, & all growers worldwide giving freely of his time, knowledge, seeds, & desire to move this hobby to better weights is well documented. He has been an innovator leading ground breaking research then giving that information to be used by all growers worldwide.

We truly feel that once all his accomplishments have been brought forward that he is uniquely qualified in all areas of consideration into the GPC Hall of Fame. For these reasons & many more not listed we feel he has earned your vote to be inducted into the GPC Hall of Fame, thank you.